Careless
by A Winter Dreamer
Summary: Talented Pokemon trainer Alfred Jones only wanted to meet up with his brother Matthew for a small vacation in the grand Nimbasa City - but little does he expect to find a lost Xtransceiver in the park, with a mysterious owner who always seems too busy to pick it up. But as Alfred gets to know him through terse phone calls, he becomes more intrigued than ever before...(USUK)
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone! This is my first crossover. I'm a big fan of the Pokemon games, and I found the "lost Xtransceiver" side quest really cute! Obviously, my mind went straight to USUK..._

 _I hope you enjoy it!_

 _Note: Lien is APH Vietnam!_

* * *

"Damn it, where the hell is Matthew?" Alfred wondered aloud as he walked around East Park in Nimbasa City.

The park was abuzz with excited trainers' chatter, and Alfred couldn't help but smile to himself as he saw the huge line outside the Pokemon Gym. The music from the fashion ramp style gym leaked from the front doors. To be honest, though, the gym attracted the attention of pedestrians and trainers regardless of the noise with its bright, bold black and gold design. The gym itself reminded him of luxury. He didn't have to go in to understand that.

And there was that flattering poster outside the gym of the gym leader, Lien, posing proudly in what Alfred thought was a feather boa, shorts, and a puffer jacket.

Huh.

Sometimes he wondered whether people went to the gym to battle or cheer on Lien.

He didn't know her that well, but he knew that she wasn't one to soak up attention out of vanity - she was good at what she did, and she just naturally attracted attention. They had a... _thing_ , a while back, and they hadn't really talked since.

Wearing a black cap and sunglasses, Alfred hummed to himself as he strode over to the vending machine, trying to be patient as he waited for his brother.

"Hmm...Lemonade or Soda Pop..."

He didn't have any issues in the money department, so he went with one of each.

"Guess I'll give the Soda Pop to Emboar later," he mused as he popped the Lemonade can open.

Still, out of all the regions he'd been to, Nimbasa was, well, as awesome as cities got. Surrounded by a small moat, it was a bright, modern looking city that was as interesting as it was festive, and Alfred loved to visit the sports courts to battle energetic young trainers. Of course, he won, because he was a hero and he _always_ won.

...But there _was_ another reason he always won. But he was hiding that at the moment.

Attention was the last thing he needed in the crowded East Park.

He checked his watch impatiently. His brother had promised to meet him almost an hour ago, but he still wasn't here.

He probably got sidetracked by a battle. But he knew that Matthew wasn't the type to battle willingly.

He preferred...what were those things. In the Sinnoh region. Oh.

 _Contests._

Alfred had always preferred the heat and excitement of battle, while his brother Matthew seemed more into visuals, details, and performance.

That, and he didn't like hurting his Pokemon.

Well, whatever.

Alfred was distracted from his thoughts by a couple of noisy children. He walked closer to them, curious what their squabble could be about.

"Hey, what's _this_?"

"Hah! It's the _lamest_ looking Xtransceiver, like, _ever_! It looks so old! And the screen is black...it's probably broken."

"Give it to a Garbordor!"

The children began to laugh, and Alfred frowned, peering closer.

It did seem to be a rather old looking Xtransceiver, and upon closer look Alfred realized that _that_ model had been discontinued due to bugging issues.

Eh, it was probably an old piece of junk.

While the newer models had slick, modern looking designs, this one was dark black, clunky, and had red tape around the edges - clearly, its owner was used to it decaying and breaking.

Alfred wondered what person wouldn't just get themselves a new one.

One of the children began kicking it around, and for some reason Alfred felt irritated.

Sure, it was a worthless piece of trash, but it wasn't nice for children to treat someone's _property_ like that.

Considering the tape around the edges and the wear of the device, somebody probably treasured it for a while and dropped it. It just felt wrong to treat it like that.

And before Alfred could think, he was approaching the children.

"Hey, guys! Whatcha playing with?"

The children looked up at him with wide eyes, backing away slightly.

"U-Uh...nothing!"

"Doesn't look like nothin'," Alfred commented, a small smile on his face. "That's mine, actually. Do you mind giving it back?"

The children exchanged glances, terror on their faces as they backed away.

"U-Uh...s-sorry, mister! Gotta go!"

They ran away squealing, and Alfred sighed.

He thought he was good with kids. Maybe the sunglasses and hat had intimidated them.

He gingerly picked up the Xtransceiver, examining it from a variety of angles before tapping the start up button gently.

No response.

"Uh..."

 _Why_ had he picked it up again? And he had even claimed it was _his_!

Talk about dumb ideas.

He sighed, slipping it into his pocket as he walked to the other end of the park.

Suddenly, something began to vibrate.

He paused, frowning. Listening.

Was that coming from his _pocket_?

Slowly, hesitantly, he opened his zipper and took out the Xtransceiver.

And sure enough, someone was calling. But the screen still wasn't working, and it had a slight crack on it - probably due to the children's abuse.

He fumbled before pressing the answer button, and he waited, heart pounding, for a response.

"Hello?"

The voice was crisp and clear, contrary to the poor quality Alfred expected. The voice was clearly male, but it seemed different, somehow. He had an accent from another region, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

As far as Alfred knew, though, Xtransceivers were only popular in Unova.

Maybe he was a tourist?

"Hello?" the voice repeated, a bit more impatiently this time.

"U-Uh, hi! Hi, there!" Alfred shouted, even though he knew the person on the other end could hear him just fine. He was startled, and he instantly regretted his tone.

The guy probably thought he was an idiot who didn't know how to use a simple machine.

"Hello," the voice said, a bit softer. Relieved. "May I ask who this is?"

"Uh...Alfred. It's Alfred," Alfred responded, his eyes fixed on the broken screen. "Hey, uh, I think the screen's broken, so I can't see you."

A small laugh. It was light. Airy. Alfred liked it.

"I'm aware."

"Uh...also, just in case you were wondering, I just found this in Nimbasa East Park. I don't own it. So you might wanna -"

"I know. I'm grateful to you for finding it."

"Wait...wait, _what_?"

A sigh. "My apologies, Alfred. I am the owner of the Xtransceiver you are holding."

 _Oh._

That made a lot of sense.

"Oh, uh...cool?"

"I would hate to trouble you further, but if possible - what the - _Dragonite, put that down or I'll_ \- Oh, sorry."

Alfred heard a crash in the background, and the noise became all static for a few seconds.

"Sorry about that. As you can tell, I'm...er...busy. At work. Would you mind terribly if I asked you to hold on to it until I'm free to pick it up?"

"No problem, dude! Uh...everything okay over there?"

"Yes, yes, just the usual - _Zoroark, how many times have I told you not to impersonate_ \- oh, sorry again. A mischievous lot, these ones."

As much as the stranger sounded pissed off, he also sounded warm. Like he was scolding them, but in a friendly way. Alfred wondered what he was doing. Clearly he was close to his Pokemon, much like Alfred was to his own.

"Hey, so, do you know when you're gonna be able to pick it up?" he asked, slightly excited.

"I'm sorry. I'm not sure when I'll be able to leave, but...I'll give you a ring to let you know, yes?"

"Sure! Also, uh...I just have to ask. I might sound rude, but, you know, your model is like, ancient. You sure you don't wanna upgrade?"

There was silence suddenly, and Alfred worried he had said the wrong thing.

"Sorry if that offended you -"

"No, no," the man responded. "I'm fully aware of the...incapabilities of my current device. Perhaps I'll look into an upgrade once I retrieve it."

But something told Alfred he really wasn't into upgrading it.

"Uh...okay. So I guess, I'll, uh...see you around?"

"Yes, Alfred. It's a pleasure."

"Oh, wait, wait!"

"...May I help you?"

"What's your name?"

"...My name is Arthur. Good day."

And then the call was cut, and the Xtransceiver went back to being junk.

"Arthur, huh..."

Alfred slowly put the Xtransceiver back into his pocket, wondering who on earth the owner could be.

Still...he was talking to a _Dragonite_ and a _Zoroark_. Clearly he was well-travelled. But he still had an accent, so he couldn't be from Unova.

A voice suddenly broke him out of his thoughts.

"Alfred!"

Alfred spun around to see his brother and look-alike, Matthew, running towards him.

"I-I'm sorry, Al, I got lost...it's my first time to Unova, you know that..."

"Haha, no problem, bro!" Alfred laughed, patting him on the back. "Glad to know you made it in one piece!"

"Uh-huh," Matthew responded, panting.

"So, up for a battle?"

"Alfred..."

"Hey, kidding, kidding!" Alfred grinned, walking over to the carnival area. "Wanna grab something to eat?"

"Alfred, we both know you ate before I came here."

"Hey, the stomach wants what the stomach wants."

"That doesn't even make sense."

"Shut up."

Matthew sighed as he adjusted his coat. "Still, the weather is pretty nice here. I was by Lake Acuity...near Snowpoint City, the other day, and boy was it freezing! Gotta get used to the weather there, eh?"

"Huh. Sounds terrible."

"You seem a bit out of it, Al. Something happen?"

Sometimes, Matthew kind of scared Alfred. Especially how he was so damn _perceptive_.

"Uh...nothing too big. I found this guy's Xtransceiver on the ground by here, and he called to ask for it back."

Matthew's eyes widened in surprise.

"It was kinda weird. He had an accent, and he had a Dragonite and a Zoroark..."

"Wow," Matthew said, clearly impressed. "He must be a strong guy."

"Probably. But why would he have a shitty prototype Xtransceiver?"

"May I see it?"

Alfred handed it to Matthew, and he frowned as he studied it.

"Uh...Alfred, this may look similar to the old Xtransceivers, but...this is one of a kind."

"What?"

"Hmm..." Matthew poked at it a bit, careful to avoid damaging it further. "I don't know how to explain it, but...it just _looks_ different."

"Yeah, cuz it has tape on it."

"That's true, but see here? This slot isn't there on any Xtransceiver I've ever seen. Plus, this button here? Nonexistent. I feel like it's custom made, or the owner added parts on his own..."

"Huh." Looking at it more closely, Alfred realized that Matthew was right. Alfred quickly looked at his own, comparing the two, and found that they looked...almost completely different.

How had he not noticed before?

"Looks like these changes were designed to be minimal," Matthew noted, frowning slightly. "I wonder what they're for."

"Well, since the screen is dead we won't be able to find out."

"It's wrong to mess with other people's belongings, Alfred," Matthew pointed out, a small smile on his face.

"But you wanna know, right? Maybe we can get it fixed up. Just so Arthur doesn't kill me."

Matthew frowned. "Arthur?"

"Oh, that's the dude's name."

"Did he say anything else?"

"He...he said something about knowing how it's useless. He said he'd look into an upgrade, but to be honest I don't think he sounded too into it."

"Hmm..."

Matthew flipped it over, and his eyes widened. Alfred watched as Matthew twisted a small, circular button.

"There's a...mini pocket in here. Um..."

He took out a wrinkled, ripped piece of paper that had two words on it.

 _I'm sorry._


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi everyone! I hope you enjoy the next chapter! There will be around seven chapters total, and they progress similar to how the relationship between Mei and Curtis progresses as more calls are made in Pokemon Black 2 and White 2. Although the setup/concept is the same, the story turns out quite different and Alfred and Arthur are a lot more than they seem. I took a lot of liberties with this crossover, so I hope you enjoy it!_

 _Please don't forget to review! :D_

* * *

"I'm...sorry?" Alfred echoed the question on the paper, frowning.

"I wonder if it was written by Arthur?" Matthew wondered, staring at the note. "Or maybe it was given to him?"

"Well, if he left it in his Xtransceiver..."

"We don't _know_ that he left it in there," Matthew corrected him gently. "It's possible that someone else could have put it in there. After all, if we were able to open it, surely it's not that hard. Do you know when Arthur lost it? Perhaps some other person laid their hands on it before we came."

"No, I didn't get to talk with him a lot..."

Matthew frowned.

"It's so weird," Alfred said, frowning. "Even if Arthur _did_ write the note, why would he leave it in his Xtransceiver and not just give it to the person? Actually, it makes a lot more sense to just _tell_ them..."

"Maybe he's shy," Matthew offered, a small smile on face.

"Yeah, but that doesn't explain why he kept the note in his device and didn't just give it to the person."

"He could be waiting for something," Matthew pointed out. "Maybe he was on his _way_ to give it and dropped his Xtransceiver..."

"So then the person must be somewhere around here...but if he lost it and he _knows_ he lost it..."

"...It might be something else," Matthew said after a while. "Maybe..."

He tinkered with the device a bit more before he shook his head.

"No. There are no more storage slots."

"Maybe we should call and ask."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Matthew asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Uh...I dunno."

"The screen's broken, Alfred," Matthew sighed. "The most we can do is wait for his call."

"Yeah, but that isn't why we came to Nimbasa, is it, bro?" Alfred said, winking. "C'mon! Let's grab some ice cream and hit the city!"

The Xtransceiver incident did bother Alfred a lot. But he only got a week off, and he wasn't about to waste the only time he could spend with his brother trying to figure out something impossible.

* * *

The Xtransceiver still nagged at the back of his mind, but Alfred was able to enjoy his day in Nimbasa with his brother. They watched a musical, laughed as a Emolga went rogue and attacked its trainer - Matthew denied laughing at that - ate _tons_ of good food, and took a walk along the water in the evening.

"You said his name was Arthur?" Matthew asked after a while. Alfred turned to him, surprised. They hadn't brought up the subject the entire day.

And it had been a good day - if just slightly unsettling.

"Yeah, that's all he said."

"Alfred, you probably don't know this since you never watch the news, but..."

"Hey! I _totally_ do."

"Alfred, watching Rhyhorn races and Machamp muscle competitions doesn't count as _news_."

"To each his own, bro!"

"Whatever," Matthew sighed. "It's probably nothing."

"What?" Alfred asked, turning to him. "What does Arthur have to do with anything?"

"I-It's just..."

Matthew bit his lip, and Alfred waited.

"It's just that...I mean, it probably doesn't mean anything, there are _tons_ of Arthurs in the world, but..."

"But _what_?"

"I-I mean, Francis was telling me the other day about...I mean, I watched the news all those years ago when it happened, too, but...I mean, it wouldn't make sense anyway, you could never have received the call from him if it were _that_ Arthur..."

"Okay, who's _that_ Arthur? C'mon, Matthew, don't leave me hanging!"

"The Champion," Matthew said, his tone serious. "That's the name of the champion of Kanto, the champion who..."

"...Who?"

"Disappeared," Matthew said finally, looking down. "Nobody knows where he went. He was known as the world's strongest trainer, but...after...after someone..."

Matthew looked nervously at Alfred before continuing, "...beat him, he just...he left. Nobody has seen him since."

"...How long has it been?"

"Six years," Matthew said, meeting Alfred's gaze. "Six years, and no matter how many people they sent to look for him, nobody ever found him. A lot of people think he's in hiding. Or dead. All because of one defeat, he..."

Alfred's eyes widened.

"So...so some dude kicked his ass _once_ and he ran away?"

"Basically," Matthew admitted, wincing. "Maybe it was a pride thing?"

"Nah, man...the Arthur I talked to seemed a lot more chill than that."

Matthew laughed. "You're right," he said. "I didn't think it was _that_ Arthur anyway. It couldn't be. That Arthur wouldn't possibly have an Xtransceiver; he's from Kanto. Sorry I brought it up. I just talked about it with Francis recently and it's been on my mind."

"Yep."

"But Alfred," Matthew said, his face grave. "Take that as a warning."

Alfred looked up at him, puzzled.

"What?"

"You won't...promise me you won't end up like that."

"Uh-huh," Alfred murmured, picking at the Xtransceiver again.

"Promise?"

"Yeah," Alfred said, a tight smile on his face. "I won't. Swear it."

But there was one thing he hadn't told Matthew.

He knew who Arthur was. Of _course_ he did. He had idolized him as a teenager - well, technically he was 19 now so he still _was_ a teen - and he had caught all the specials about him. Funny enough, he didn't remember what Arthur looked like, because he never actually showed up on TV or in an interview. It was always shows _about_ him, segments _about_ him. And hey, of course Alfred had been obsessed with the world's mysterious top trainer. But he was embarrassed about that sort of thing, so he tried to hide it. He pretended he didn't even know who Arthur was.

But when Alfred got busy, when he began to grow stronger, he had slowly forgotten about Arthur, basking in his own glory. He had no idea Arthur disappeared. He always thought that the champion would be there, waiting for him, when he was strong enough.

When he had the strength to battle with him. To _beat_ him.

Disappointment and frustration coursed through his veins.

Of course, it's not like his entire career staked on beating the fallen champion, but he always wanted to have that achievement under his belt.

And to meet his hero. His idol.

But he was the hero now. He didn't need Arthur anymore.

...Right?

"Hey, do you remember what his last name was?"

"Francis told me it was Blackwood."

Alfred's eyes narrowed.

"Why the hell does _Francis_ know so much about him?"

Matthew paused.

"I don't know."

"C'mon, Matt..."

Matthew looked down.

"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Yeah, but I'm your _bro_ , you know?"

Matthew shook his head. "I'm sorry, Alfred. But it was nice hanging out with you, yeah?"

"Mattieeee... _please_? Do you at least know who beat the champ?"

Matthew froze for a second, staring at Alfred with wide, confused eyes before looking down.

"Hmm...I don't remember his name, actually. He was popular at one point, but..."

Alfred grinned.

"I'm gonna find Arthur."

"What?"

Suddenly, the Xtransceiver began to vibrate, and Alfred hastily pulled it out, his eyes wide and his heart thundering.

He pressed the pick up button.

"H-Hello?"

"..." The other end was fuzzy.

"Hey, dude, I can't really hear you..."

"...apologies..."

"Arthur?"

A pause.

"Hello. Is this Alfred?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Sorry for the poor connection. I'm afraid I don't have long to chat. Would you do me a favor?"

"Sure, dude! But I have to ask you one question first."

Alfred winked at Matthew, and Matthew smiled at him, nodding encouragingly.

"..."

"Uh, Arthur?"

"Yes, yes, sorry. Do ask."

"What's your last name?"

"..."

"Arthur?"

"It's Kirkland."

Alfred's heart fell, and Matthew frowned.

Well, it couldn't be, right? It was too convenient. Plus, what on earth would the champion of Kanto be doing in _Unova_ anyway?

"O-Oh...cool. Arthur Kirkland. Sounds great."

"...Thank you. May I ask your name?"

"Alfred. Alfred Jones!"

"Jones. That's interesting."

"So's Kirkland," Alfred laughed. "So what are ya calling me for, bud?"

"I am not your 'bud.'"

"Sorry, sorry," Alfred grinned sheepishly, undaunted. "What are you callin' for?"

"My screen is broken."

"Indeed it is."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you look like, which would prevent me from recognizing you when we meet. Would you mind describing yourself?"

Matthew tried to warn Alfred not to say anything stupid, but it was too late.

"Oh, yeah, totally. I'm like, 5'10", blue eyes, blond hair, really hot."

"...Are you, now?"

Alfred couldn't tell whether Arthur was impressed or not - was that sarcasm or not?

Going with Arthur's personality, he decided it was sarcasm.

"Yeah, totally! And uh...what do you look like?"

"Terribly sorry, Alfred, but I have to head back to...err...work, now. I'll call again."

And with that, Arthur hung up.

Matthew and Alfred stared at each other for a couple of seconds.

"So that's Arthur, huh. Kirkland," Matthew said finally.

"Yeah. Looks like it wasn't the champion Arthur."

"Well, I expected as much," Matthew smiled. "Looks like you'll have to start from square one again."

"Apparently," Alfred agreed. "Still, I'm curious about Kirkland. And why does he have to go to _work_ all the time, anyway?"

* * *

"Bye, Matthew!" Alfred waved at his brother. "Don't get lost!"

"I won't," Matthew rolled his eyes. "I'm meeting up with Francis in Driftveil anyway."

"Tell him I said hi! Also tell him to call if he hears anything about Arthur!"

"Which one?" Matthew teased.

"Both!"

"Got it. Bye, Al!"

Alfred smiled, letting out a sigh as Matthew walked out of sight.

He had a _lot_ of work to do.

He was just glad that he was able to get a filler in for him while he was on vacation. Actually, he had just wanted to place a Substitute doll where he was supposed to be as an elaborate joke, but his colleagues had said no.

Killjoys, all of them.

Humming to himself, he strolled casually back to the Pokemon Center until he ran into Toris.

An old friend.

"Oh, hey, man! Whatcha doin' in Nimbasa?"

Toris looked up, surprised.

"Oh, Alfred! U-Um, n-nice to see you here!"

Alfred blinked. "What's wrong, dude?"

"No, it's...n-nothing. Just..."

"Oh, are you still mad over that time I _creamed_ you last month?"

"I-It wasn't that much!" Toris exclaimed, slightly red. Alfred laughed.

"Don't worry about it, man. Train up and come see me again."

"What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be -"

"Shh..." Alfred winked before putting his sunglasses back on. "I'm here in secret."

"Did you see Lien?"

"Me 'n Lien don't really talk much anymore. You know, she's kinda sore over the whole..."

"And she has the right to be. _Honestly_ , Alfred."

Alfred frowned.

"Yeah, I know."

Suddenly, Alfred looked up.

"Hey, Toris. Mind doing me a favor?"

Toris blinked.

"I'm looking for this guy called Arthur Blackwood."

Toris' eyes widened. "The Champion?"

"Oh, you heard of him?"

"Everyone has, Alfred," Toris smiled. "He defeated the _entire_ Elite Four with a single Pokemon on his first run through. Who _hasn't_ heard of him?"

"I know he beat the Kanto Elite Four, but..."

Toris shook his head.

"Not just them, Alfred. Rumor has it that he travelled around a lot. I heard from Feliks that he beat the Hoenn Champion in five minutes, and that he ran through the Sinnoh Elite Four like they were nothing!"

"Wait, when did _that_ happen? I thought he went missing!"

"He did. But he shows up in random places, you know?"

"What is he, an Abra?"

Toris laughed. "It's a mystery!"

"So...so he's traveling around, then? He isn't a recluse?"

"Well, I haven't heard anything recently. I think he beat the Hoenn champ a couple of years ago. Isn't there a new one now, though? I'd watch your back, Al."

Alfred grinned. "No need, man."

* * *

 _Two days later..._

He had five days left on his vacation, and Alfred decided to take a walk to Driftveil. Driftveil was _completely_ different from Nimbasa, and seeing one after the other in a single day was startling.

So far, he'd found practically no leads on Arthur Blackwood. He had been so consumed with curiosity that he'd sort of neglected his Pokemon, and he decided he'd spend the day caring for them.

That is, until the Xtransceiver buzzed in his pocket. Alfred quickly scrambled to pick it up.

"...llo? Hello?"

"Arthur! What's up? Oh, I'm in Driftveil, by the way. When are you gonna come pick it up?"

"I apologize, Alfred. I'm still hung up with work."

"Aww, really? What do you do, anyway?"

"What is your business in Driftveil?"

Alfred kind of felt like he was being interrogated.

"Uh...nothing much. I'm on vacay. Five days left."

"I see. I do hope you enjoy them. Where do you work?"

"U-Uh...I'm just a trainer, dude."

"Then what are you taking a vacation from?"

"Uh...life? Training?"

He thought he heard Arthur laugh, but he wasn't sure.

"Oh, Arthur!"

"Yes?"

"I'm actually in a pickle right now!"

"...Go on."

"I need your help. I'm searching for this guy called Arthur Blackwood! You know, the old Champ?"

"...Old?"

"Yeah, you know...before he got beat, and all. I was wondering if you knew anything about him? Like, where he went or anything?"

"..."

"Arthur?"

"What business do you have with him?"

Alfred's eyes widened as he gripped the Xtransceiver tightly.

"Wait, wait, do you _know_ him?"

"...I might."

"Wait, _seriously_? OMG. Where is he?"

"What business do you have with him?"

"Oh, uh...I just wanted to see him."

"Does he know you?"

"No, uh...he probably doesn't."

"Then why are you looking for him?"

"I just..." Alfred's voice softened. "I need to know what happened to him. I want to talk to him."

There was silence for a while, and Alfred was worried that Arthur hung up.

"No," Arthur said suddenly.

'What?"

"I don't know any Arthur Blackwood. I'm sorry."

"Wait, you said you knew him!"

"I said I _might_. Upon further inspection, however, I realized that I do not know any Arthur Blackwood. As I said before, my name is Arthur _Kirkland_. Please do not assume that people with the same given name can magically communicate with one another."

Alfred felt a bit hurt, and frowned.

"Sorry, man. I just...I really want to know where he is."

"...I was harsh, as well. I apologize."

"No biggie."

"..."

"So, do you battle?"

"...I do."

"Awesome! What's your favorite type?"

"...Psychic, perhaps. And yourself?"

"Sweet! I like a lot of stuff, man. But I think fire's my best bet. That or fighting!"

"I'm sure an Emboar would suit you perfectly."

"Dude, you like, read my mind. I _have_ an Emboar!"

"Oh, do you? Lucky guess, I suppose."

"Oh, uh, Arthur?"

"Yes?"

"You...uh, is your voice okay?"

"...My voice is perfectly fine. Why do you ask?"

"I mean, it sounds kinda...I mean it sounds nice, but it's like...I dunno."

"Oh." A small laugh. "I apologize. I haven't talked to anyone in quite a while. I'll just have to get used to it again. Good day, Alfred."

And Arthur hung up.

 _He hasn't talked to anyone in a while?_

That sounded suspicious. Alfred put the Xtransceiver back in his pocket, eyes determined.

There was no _way_ Arthur Kirkland and Arthur Blackwood weren't related.

Arthur knew Blackwood, that was without a doubt. He had been testing Alfred.

And apparently, Alfred had failed.

But he could always try again.

He always did.

They didn't call him Unova's Champion for _nothing_ , after all.


	3. Chapter 3

_So, Alfred's the champion of Unova! Onto the third chapter..._

 _As a side note, while Alfred is the champion of Unova but is not similar to Alder at all, you'll find that the figure of "Arthur Blackwood" parallels Red(from the video games) in certain ways._

 _Please remember to review!_

* * *

 _1 week later..._

Okay. Alfred had never felt so _defeated_ in his life.

He was used to winning everything and having everything go his way with practically no effort. Of course, he _had_ worked hard to capture and train up his team of Pokemon, but he was always just used to easy victory. His name practically screamed success, and he had a kickass reputation to boot. So much so that he had to disguise himself whenever he went out for risk of being identified and subsequently mobbed by passionate fans.

So when he could find absolutely _nothing_ about Arthur Blackwood or his whereabouts, it had him in a particularly bad mood. He was always known for being cheery and somewhat thickheaded, so he tried to stay away from talking to anyone in case it would hurt his reputation. Either way, he had to do _something_ about how he was feeling. He was in too deep now to just _give up_ on finding Arthur.

Blackwood, of course. He'd be meeting Kirkland soon enough.

"Damn it," he sighed, leaning against the wall of the Pokemon Center as he fiddled with Arthur's Xtransceiver again. "Where did he go...?"

He had a feeling that Kirkland knew Blackwood, but for some reason he seemed reluctant to tell him. Well, when they met up Alfred decided he wouldn't let Arthur go without giving him an explanation. But of course, that didn't stop him from trying to find out all he could beforehand.

He had taken a quick flight to Mistralton City, wanting to see Bella before the gym hours started. He had been touring around the region, struggling to find out even a whisper of where Arthur went. He figured it might be smarter to go to Kanto, but in case the Four had an emergency and needed him back, he didn't want to travel too far. Cameron and Natalia in particular never liked his habit of taking vacations without notice.

"Alfred!"

Alfred turned towards the cheerful feminine voice to see Bella, her blond curls bouncing as she ran towards him. Her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she fixed her eyes on Alfred.

"Bella!"

She laughed as she came to a stop in front of him.

"You look like a street hoodlum!"

Alfred winced. "And you don't pull your punches."

"Well, I understand why," she smiled, winking. "So, what's up, Champ?"

"Don't call me that in public," Alfred responded immediately, smiling slightly. "You don't know who's listening."

Bella apologized quickly.

"Don't worry about it. It's not that I mind or anything," Alfred laughed. "So, how's it going?"

"Oh, good, as always. Ned's been coming by more and more often to help with the...traffic."

Alfred frowned. "Traffic?"

"There's just been so many trainers lately! Of course, it's the season, but still..." Bella sighed, her hands resting on her hips. "I've just been run off my feet lately. I'm thinking of increasing the number of trainers at the gym to deal with them. Did you know that I fought over twenty trainers yesterday? I barely had time to think!"

"And how many badges did you hand out?" Alfred asked with a small grin.

"Three," Bella said, the tips of her lips curled upwards.

"You're getting soft," Alfred teased. "Where's the Bella I know that refuses to give out any badges?"

"I'm not like that!" Bella protested, her eyes wide. "I'm the sweetest gym leader of them all, and they _know_ that! Especially since I treat both winners and losers to waffles afterwards!"

But he could hear the sarcasm in her voice. Bella was undeniably kind and cheerful, but when it came to battling...it was a completely different story. Those three Trainers must have barely stayed alive.

"Uh...so, actually, I didn't come just to chat."

"I thought so," Bella said, a knowing smile on her face. "What is it?"

"You probably don't know anything, but, uh...have you ever heard of Arthur Blackwood?"

"Oh, the Kanto Champion?" she said immediately, her smile faltering slightly.

"Yeah, him!"

"Blackwood, huh..." She put her hands on her hips, thinking. "I don't really know anything about him..." she trailed off, looking at Alfred curiously. "Anything I know I've heard from Francis anyway."

 _Francis_ again. Matthew had told him a while ago about his new friend named Francis, but apparently this Francis guy really got around.

"What did he say?"

"That he's gone," Bella said simply, her eyes bleak. "He's in hiding. Or maybe..." She leaned forward, a slight frown on her face.

"Or maybe?"

"Francis told me that...that it wouldn't be surprising if he committed suicide."

Alfred's heart pounded in his chest, his eyes wide.

"W-What do you mean -"

"He lost," Bella cut in, shaking her head. "He lost one battle, and that crushed him. Because everything that he was...it was riding on that one battle. And he lost. And...and Francis told me that he felt worthless after that, that he became depressed..."

"But it's _one battle_! Why the hell is he so sensitive?"

Bella smiled sympathetically. "He was a sensitive guy. But Francis told me that he hid it all, pretended to be confident...so when that didn't work, when his weaknesses were exposed and he had nowhere to go..."

"Okay, so Francis knows him well?"

"Yes. They were..."

Alfred's eyes widened. "Yeah?"

"Promise you won't go after him?" Bella pleaded, her eyes desperate.

"Uh...why?"

"Because some things are best left hidden, Alfred. Francis is...whenever he mentions Arthur, he's..." Bella bit her lip.

"He's broken. So please, Alfred. Don't go digging up those sorts of things. If you promise not to, I'll tell you."

"Bella, I..." Alfred began hesitantly. "I..."

"I know, Alfred. I wasn't born yesterday," Bella said suddenly. "You're used to winning. You're used to knowing everything, finding out everything. Maybe..." Bella frowned. "Maybe Arthur doesn't _want_ to be found. Why don't you respect that?" Her voice was gentle, but firm.

Hurt, Alfred exclaimed, "Well, it's not normal for people to live in isolation! Anything he's doing...alone, it's...it's not good for him! He's only hurting himself -"

"Well, you don't _know_ that. Don't make assumptions for other people."

"Yeah, but what kind of life is living like a recluse! What's the point if you don't live in the world with other people and make memories!"

"..."

Bella paused.

"Francis was..."

Alfred waited.

"Francis was his rival, Alfred. From the beginning. That's why he knows so much about Arthur. Until..."

Bella looked down.

"When Arthur became Champion, when he beat Francis and took the title, he...they lost contact. And Arthur became cold. Reserved. He barely talked, and he crushed anyone who approached him. He wasn't arrogant, though. Not like _you_ ," she pointed out, and Alfred frowned.

"Hey!"

Alfred knew he must come off as arrogant to others, but internally he never really thought that he was 'the best' or 'better than anyone else.' He just always won, and he always assumed he'd win. He preferred to think of it as confidence.

"Anyway," she continued, "He was simply _good_. But he didn't believe it. Every victory, it wasn't enough to convince him that he was strong. He...how do you say it. He had really, really _low_ self esteem and confidence issues. It took Francis a while to figure it out, since he was so...well, _guarded_ all the time. But he figured it out, but by that time it was too late. Arthur had been beaten, and he left."

"Who beat him?"

"...Are you serious?"

Bella stared at him as if he had grown another head.

"...Uh...yeah...I am. Who beat him?"

Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she took in a sharp breath.

"Oh," she murmured. "I remember now."

"Really? Tell me!"

"No, not that." She sighed. "Why don't you ask your brother?"

"He wouldn't tell me! He said he didn't know!"

"Maybe that's for the best."

"Are you _kidding_ me-"

"Ciao, Alfred," she smiled, turning around. "I really do have to get back to the gym. I'm not a fan of extended vacations like you are. Come by after hours for waffles, though. Ned and I had a cooking fest yesterday!"

With a cheery smile, she left Alfred.

Suddenly, as if on cue, he felt the Xtransceiver buzz.

Finally, _finally_ Arthur was going to come pick it up!

Excited, he took it out of his pocket and clicked the button.

He heard a cough at first, and then a slow, hesitant, "...Who is this?"

"It's Alfred, man! Who else would it be?"

"I-Is that so...thank you, Alfred, for holding on to my Xtransceiver for so long."

"No problem, man! So, uh...when are you coming to pick it up?"

"Sorry I haven't had much contact with you. I've been terribly busy. And I seem to have come down with a fever, so..."

"Wait, seriously? Are you okay?"

"I'll be all right. Just typical overwork."

"Dude, where do you even _work_?"

Silence.

"Just a typical...typical job, nothing more. However, I do have to let you know that I won't be able to pick it up for at least another couple of days. I'm sorry for burdening you."

Alfred couldn't deny that he felt disappointed, but it wasn't Arthur's fault that he was sick.

"No problemo, dude. Just get better, okay?"

"...Thank you."

"So, do you have medicine and stuff?"

"...I'm afraid I don't. But these things resolve themselves, so -"

"Uh, _what_?"

"...Pardon?"

"Arthur. You need to get yourself some medicine."

"...It'll be all right, I assure you. Thank you for your concern."

With that, Arthur hung up, and Alfred frowned.

 _Seriously, is he going to be okay?_

* * *

 _2 days later..._

"Hey Matt!"

"Alfred! It's been a while since you've called. What's up?"

"I want to meet your friend, Francis!"

"Oh, um...he's here with me, actually. Do you want to talk to him?"

"Sure, man! That'd be great!"

He had a shuffling noise.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Francis! Hi! I'm Alfred."

He heard a snort.

"Ah, the one dear Matthew keeps telling me about?"

"Yeah!"

He didn't like the way Francis referred to his brothers as 'dear Matthew,' but he decided not to bring it up at the moment.

"You certainly sound excited. I don't think we've met. Of course, I know all about you."

That kinda sounded weird. He wondered how much Matthew had told him.

"We haven't. I just wanna ask you a question."

A pause.

"About what?"

"Arthur."

Silence.

"Uh, Francis, you still there?"

"I don't wish to speak about him. Especially with _you_."

Okay, now he just sounded _hostile_.

"Francis, please, I need to know..."

"What business of yours is it?"

"Uh..."

"You are a child getting your nose in something that should not be messed with. You have already ruined things enough. My dear Matthew, please allow me to hang up on your brother."

"Hey, that's rude! I just wanna help him!"

"He is beyond help, you hypocrite!" Francis exclaimed angrily, and he hung up.

God. What would it take to crack these people?

And Francis seemed to be flinging some accusations at him that he didn't understand. How had simply trying to dig up information on Arthur 'ruin things enough?' What on earth did that even _mean_?

* * *

Luckily, Alfred didn't have to brood for long, as Arthur called him quickly afterwards.

"Hello, is this Alfred?"

His voice seemed hoarse. He was probably still sick.

"Yeah, it's me. What's up?"

"I..."

A pause.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you right now?"

"Huh?"

"Your location."

"Oh, uh...I'm walking around Undella. Why?"

"Oh, so it's not too far...I'm actually -"

Alfred heard a lot of painful sounding coughs, and he began to get worried.

"Hey, you're not still sick, are you?"

"N-No, I'm doing all right, but I called to let you know that I have some -"

"Okay, Arthur, that's definitely not okay. You need to take care of yourself!"

"...I appreciate your concern, Alfred."

He didn't sound sarcastic at all. He sounded honest.

"You got any friends over there to take care of you?"

"O-Oh, sure, plenty. But they're all busy, you know, these days with - Anyway. I called to let you know that I...I'm free from work."

Alfred's heart thundered in his chest.

"Wait, really?"

"Yes, and...would you mind meeting me by the Ferris Wheel in Nimbasa City?"

"Wait, no way! _Seriously_?"

"I'm sorry for making you wait so long. Is the Ferris Wheel suitable for you?"

"Sweet! Yeah, that's totally fine. I'll head over there now."

"Tomorrow, then."

"Okay! What time?"

"...I should be able to make it there around noon."

"Cool! Wait, what do you look like?"

"I'll recognize you. What was it that you said? ...5'10", blond, blue eyes, and...what was it...really _hot_?"

He could hear the humor in Arthur's voice, and he grinned to himself.

"Yep, you got that right! I'm really looking forward to seeing you!"

And this time, Alfred was the one to end the call, smiling triumphantly to himself as he left the town.


End file.
